Other Conflicts and Peacetime Service

This section is dedicated to other conflicts that the U.S. was involved in. This includes conflicts such as U.S. actions in Bosnia, Panama, Grenada, and non-Iraq war actions in the Middle East among others. This page is also dedicated to those soldiers who were not involved in any specific conflicts, but still did their parts to help protect our country in times of Peace. In Bosnia, the U.S. sent troops in the 1990’s as part of the NATO’s peacekeeping mission during and after the war. According to the US Army Center of Military History, “As called for in the agreement (which authorized NATO to intervene), the NATO Implementation Force consisting of 60,000 military personnel, one-third of them American, was to enforce the peace and to facilitate the reconstruction of the country.” There were three differentoperations: JOINT ENDEAVOR, JOINT GUARD, and JOINT FORGE. In Panama, the U.S. sent troops in to remove the military dictator General Manuel Antonio Noriega. Operations began on December 20, 1989 and Noriega, after evading capture for many days, was eventually found taking refuge in the Vatican Embassy. On January 3, 1990, Noriega surrendered to U.S. troops.

Military Map of Grenada

In Granada, after the military deposed of the head of government, the U.S. became worried about Cuban and Soviet influence on the island and about the potential for U.S. citizens in Grenada to be taken hostage. The U.S. knew that it needed to take action, even though there was little time to plan the operation. The military action was known as Operation Urgent Fury and took place in 1983. The operation was deemed a success and the democratic government was restored to power. Elections were held in Grenada soon after, and the U.S. citizens who had been trapped in Grenada were evacuated. The veterans who served in military operations and in peacetime bravely defended the freedom, democracy, and rights of all people, and served their country with honor.